Today’s accounting club meeting was packed with valuable information, thanks to our guest speakers from Con Edison: Juliana Markovich, Shivanie Sukhnandan, and Yancy Victoriano. They came to speak with us about what Con Edison does, the roles accountants can play in the company, and the amazing internship opportunities available for students like us.
What is Con Edison?
Con Edison was founded in 1823 as the New York Gas Light Company. Today, it provides gas, electric, and steam services to over 10 million people in New York and is one of the Fortune 500. One of their biggest goals is to keep workers safe, aiming for zero high-hazard injuries.
The company has many different departments to work in, including:
- Gas, electric, and steam operations
- Environmental and health & safety
- Finance/Accounting
- Supply chain
- Construction
- Corporate affairs
- Emergency preparedness
At Con Edison, the Finance and Accounting departments are more than just numbers, they are a key part of keeping the company running smoothly. The team handles everything from paying employees to making sure the company follows financial laws.
Key Areas in Finance and Accounting:
- Accounts Receivable (A/R): Making sure the company gets paid by customers and other companies it does business with.
- Accounts Payable (A/P): Paying bills and making sure the company’s money is spent properly.
- Payroll: Making sure every employee is paid the right amount on time.
- Financial Reporting: Creating reports to show how the company is doing financially—like income, expenses, and profits.
- Tax: Making sure Con Edison follows tax laws and files everything correctly.
- Audit: Double checking the company’s finances to prevent errors or fraud.
- Treasury: Managing the company’s cash, investments, and loans.
- Finance Intelligence Automation: A special team that looks at how to use technology to improve the accounting process. They explore ways to make the work faster, easier, and more accurate using automation.
These areas all work together to help Con Edison plan for the future, manage money wisely, and make sure every dollar is used responsibly.
The Con Edison Co-Op Program with BMCC
One of the most exciting parts of the presentation was learning about the partnership between Con Edison and BMCC. For over 10 years, Con Edison has offered a Co-Op program that gives students real hands-on experience in accounting and other business areas.
Here’s what you get from the program or interning:
- You’ll be working directly on tasks related to accounting operations and systems. This could include using Excel, Microsoft Office, and other tools to support financial teams.
- Con Edison understands that school comes first. They are flexible with your school schedule and work with you to make sure you can balance both.
- Each student is paired with a “buddy” or mentor, someone you can turn to with questions and who will support your professional development throughout the internship.
- Interns are placed into departments based on their skills and experience, which helps you grow in the areas where you’re strongest while still learning new things.
- At the end of the internship, you’ll prepare a presentation and write a paper reflecting on what you learned and the projects you worked on. This builds your public speaking and communication skills, which are important for any career.
- You’ll get help updating your resume with the work you did during the internship. Con Edison also provides mock interviews to help you practice and feel confident for future job opportunities.
- Interns are walked through assignments step by step so you’re never left confused. Even if your internship doesn’t perfectly match your major, they are willing to teach you everything. No experience? Not a problem! They’re happy to give you a chance.
Even if the internship is not exactly what you study in school, Con Edison is open to teaching you everything you need to know. They welcome students who have no experience and help them build it.
Success Stories
The speakers also shared stories about BMCC students who started as interns at Con Edison and later became full-time employees. For example, John Burzo went through the program and received a Community Partner Recognition Award and a full-time job offer.
Even better, Con Edison is willing to invest in your education. They can pay up to 100% of your master’s degree, 85% while you’re in school and the remaining 15% after you graduate.
Today’s meeting showed us that there are real opportunities for accounting students to grow, even while we’re still in school. If you’re interested in accounting or business, consider applying for the Con Edison Co-Op program or apply directly on there career website for a paid internship. It’s a chance to gain experience, develop new skills, and possibly even land a full-time job in the future.
Big thanks again to our guest speakers for sharing their time and insight with us!
